Catch Up (not Ketchup)

Hi everybody! Isn't it so annoying when bloggers promise they've turned over a new leaf and they are going to blog like crazy from now on, and then more than a week passes and you don't hear from them? Yes, that is so annoying.

I hope you guys are enjoying the time of year. I know I am. I really feel like I've turned a corner in my revisions for THE SCORCH TRIALS, so I'm feeling pretty good. My due date is January 4th, so I better be!

A few things:

1. Late notice, but I will be at the Fort Union Deseret Bookstore in Utah tomorrow (Saturday the 19th) from 1:00 to 3:00. It's my last signing of the year, so come one come all. There'll be treats! Well, maybe not treats, but there will be books.

2. I'm very excited that the paperback for Book 1 of THE 13TH REALITY is finally coming out!!!!!! It will be in stores on Tuesday the 22nd (if not already). I received a copy and I love, love, love how it looks. And it's only $7.99. Pretty cheap for 500 pages of good times. That's the cover up top in case you missed it.

3. My good friend and editor, Stacy Whitman (who helped me a lot with THE MAZE RUNNER), is starting her own publishing company. Her goal is to provide more multicultural science fiction and fantasy, which I think is a very noble cause. Take a second and check out her website - you'll be very impressed: CLICK HERE.

4. If you'd like to read or hear an interview with me on The Author Hour, CLICK HERE.

5. If you want to see a very long interview with me on a show called Books Alive that I filmed during my tour, CLICK HERE. I guess I need to accept the fact that I can no longer hide from the world just how big of a dork I am. Sigh. (Barb, the host, was so funny!)

6. I hereby declare and promise that I will never tease about good news again. I'm so sorry! I didn't think it'd take so long to get permission to announce it. Wait, I basically just teased you again. I'm awful. Truly awful. Oh come on, you guys can guess what it is. You're smart. Plus, I've seen it leaked on a couple of websites.

7. I also apologize for being so terrible at Twitter and Facebook. I'll set a New Year's resolution to be better in 2010!

8. Jeremiah, a faithful Dashner Duder, has set up a website for a battle between MAZE and Percy Jackson. I thought this was too cool for words. Please go vote your conscience! CLICK HERE.

9. It's Opening Day for AVATAR!!!!!!!! I'll be seeing it on the IMAX with my son at 3:00. Yeah boy!

10. The Falcons have no chance to make the playoffs. Oh, the horror!!!!

Okay, here are some Q&A from the comments:

First, as always, THANK YOU to those who left nice comments about my book. I never tire of hearing such things! Also, thanks for all the congrats on being chosen as a Kirkus best book of 2009.

Laura asked what my next big thing I'm going to do that's not book related. Hmmmm. My family is going to San Diego in January. Sea World, Legoland, etc. Should be fun.

Stacey asked what I did to celebrate selling MAZE to RH. It was kinda cool. My mom had just arrived from Georgia for a visit and we were all at lunch together when my agent called. That was celebration enough! (I'm going to leave out the part about me screaming like a girl and running around pushing old ladies down with glee.)

Jack Porter asked how many times 13th Reality was rejected. Zero. They'd actually rejected something else but liked my writing, asked for a new proposal. The rest is history! But I've received at least 30 rejections throughout my career.

#1dashnerfan, to find publishers, you need to check out a book called Writer's Market. Very good.

Allison (Well Read Reviews) asked about the title for the sequel to MAZE. It's called THE SCORCH TRIALS and comes out next fall. You're gonna like it!

Aaron, yes, sometimes the drums hurt my ears. :)

And, wow, reading through the comments once again, I have to say thank you one more time. So many nice words! You guys are way too good to me. Thank you.